1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a cellular radius start record, and more specifically, to a notification system using a duplicate of the cellular radius start record to represent an alert.
2. Description of Related Art
Remote access dial in user service (“radius”) is a commonly used networking protocol that provides centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting for management of multiple computers that connect and use a network service. Radius is often used by internet service providers to manage access points to the Internet, internal networks, wireless networks, and email services.
Radius includes a server, called the radius server, which communicates with gateways such as a remote access server (RAS), a virtual private network (VPN) server, a network switch, and a network access server (NAS). The radius server is seemingly everywhere, as it runs as a background process on a UNIX and Microsoft Window servers.
In the accounting feature of radius, there are many records. For the “start” record, after the NAS grants access to a user, an accounting radius start record is generated. The radius start record is sent from the NAS to the radius server to signal the start of the user's network access. Radius start records typically contain the user's identification, network address, point of attachment, and a unique session identifier.
When the user's network access is closed, the NAS issues an accounting stop record to the radius server providing information on the final usage in terms of time, packets transferred, data transferred, reason for disconnect, and other information related to the user's network access. The accounting records can be used for billing and statistical purposes.
Another technology is alert notifications. Alert notifications provide messages between individuals or groups in one way or two way communication. One type of alert notifications is an emergency alert. An emergency alert may contact the police, the fire department, or an emergency medical service such as an ambulance.
A problem with conventional alert notifications, in the emergency context, is the amount of time that it takes to make a connection and to convey information regarding the alert. For example, when a cellular telephone is used to call for emergency services, delays include, for example, the time for cell phone service to become available, the time taken to dial a number, the time while the phone rings, any cellular disconnects when a cell phone drops coverage, or the time to explain that emergency services are needed. In some situations, time is of essence to convey a message regarding what actions to take. Examples of time sensitive situations include when a user has shortness of breath, dizziness which could lead to fainting, choking, a pending heart attack, a home invasion, etc.
Another problem is that the alert is not specific to the user or the user's situation. The alert does not inform the person receiving the alert to take a particular action, which may take more time or resources to convey than possible. For example, even assuming the user gets a hold of an operator and lets them know there is an emergency, the operator knows little else about the user. The operator does not know the identity the person having the emergency, any relevant prior medical history, why the person has an alert notification system, the likely extent of the emergency, the desired response, medical providers, emergency contacts, and any other precompiled and stored database information.
One conventional notification device, by LifeCall, provides a pendant which, when activated, allows a user to speak into an audio receiving device and talk directly with a dispatch service without the need to reach a telephone. This conventional device is ideal for senior citizens and the disabled and became extremely well known in popular culture due to a commercial featuring an elderly woman stating that she had fallen, but could not get up.
However, the LifeCall pendant falls short because the pendant is simply a phone dialer, and does not use cellular. Also, until the operator receives the call, which is the time for a phone call to go through (e.g., 10-15 seconds), the operator does not know who is calling. Additionally, the operator does not receive any precompiled information that would indicate what action to take prior to hearing the user's voice.